NDA prepares to form new government in Bihar; swearing in likely on November 20

Patna: The decks are being cleared in Bihar as the NDA bloc prepares to form a new government, with the swearing-in ceremony likely to take place in Patna on November 20, official sources said on Monday.

Several top leaders of the NDA, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers, are expected to take part in the oath-taking event, they said.

According to sources, Nitish Kumar is likely to submit his resignation to the Governor as head of the outgoing government on November 19.

Earlier in the day, Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal told reporters that the newly elected legislators will meet on Tuesday to elect their legislative party leader. "The oath-taking ceremony of the new government would most likely take place either on November 20 or November 21," he said.

Preparations are underway at Patna's Gandhi Maidan for the swearing-in event.

Meanwhile, the last cabinet meeting of the outgoing NDA government in Bihar on Monday "authorised" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to recommend dissolution of the assembly, a state minister said.

"The CM met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan soon after the meeting to apprise him about the decision of the cabinet. At the meeting, the council of ministers passed a resolution to recommend the dissolution of the assembly on November 19," senior JD(U) leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Choudhary told reporters.

Kumar, accompanied by Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, met the Governor after the meeting.

"The cabinet passed another resolution, thanking the CM for the landslide victory of the NDA in Bihar. This is the best performance by the alliance in Bihar under Nitish Kumar's leadership... It was made possible because of the visionary policies of the state government," Vijay Choudhary said.

In the recent assembly polls, the NDA bagged more than 200 seats in the 243-member House, with the BJP winning 89 seats, followed by the JD(U) with 85.

A JD(U) source said it will elect Kumar as the legislature party leader on November 19.